About Tara Isaac
I listen to more than the words
Most people come to coaching already knowing what they want to change. They might be overthinking decisions, avoiding conversations, taking on too much, reacting in ways they don't want to, or repeating a pattern they thought they'd moved beyond.
What can be harder to see is what's driving it. That's where I spend my attention.
I listen to what you're saying and what you're not saying: the words you use, the patterns that repeat, the contradictions and shifts that tell us there may be more to explore. The words are only part of the story.
I approach our conversations with curiosity rather than judgement. Sometimes the right question can help you look at something you've experienced many times before from a completely different perspective. And often, that's where we find what matters.
Why I do this work
This work is personal for me.
For a long time, anxiety, overwhelm and a strong sensitivity to rejection shaped more of my choices than I realised. What changed things wasn't trying harder to push through. It was understanding what was driving those patterns in the first place.
That's what I want for the people I work with: to understand themselves well enough to have more choice in how they live, rather than old patterns continuing to make those choices for them.
I'm also a mum of two boys. I believe that when children are supported to understand themselves, rather than simply being told to change their behaviour, we give them more ways to respond as they grow. That belief sits at the heart of Take Root.
Today I work with adults, kids and teens, and teams. Seeing what becomes possible when someone understands themselves differently is why I keep putting so much into this work.
What working with me is like
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what's wrong.
Our sessions give you space to explore beyond the boundaries of the problem you've already identified.
We work in partnership, using questions, reflection and different tools to understand more about what may be sitting underneath a behaviour. That might include beliefs you've formed, influences you've carried with you or patterns you've repeated for so long that they've started to feel like part of who you are.
Once we understand that, we can work with the right thing.
That may mean releasing an old belief, creating a different response, building new ways of approaching a situation or developing strategies that support where you want to go.
The goal isn't to tell you who to become.
It's to give you more freedom to choose.
I don't believe people need fixing
I believe every person is whole and complete and doing the best they can with the resources available to them.
That doesn't mean we can't change.
It means change doesn't have to begin from the belief that there's something wrong with you.
Sometimes we simply need another person beside us who can help us see what we've become too close to see ourselves.
A behaviour or pattern may have been useful once. Over time, you may have accepted it as part of your identity:
"That's just who I am."
But who you've learned to be isn't necessarily who you have to keep being.
Together, we can understand what's still serving you, what isn't, and what needs to shift to support where you want to go next.
Professional background
I'm an ICF-credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC). I'm also a Master Practitioner of NLP and Matrix Therapies, and a Master Conscious Hypnotherapist.
Before founding Rise & Thrive, I spent more than a decade working in corporate environments including Goldman Sachs, EY, Ashurst and Xero, with much of my career focused on people, talent and leadership development. My coaching brings that experience together with my training, helping clients explore both the problem they're aware of and what may be sitting underneath it.
"Tara's leadership style is calm, clear, and deeply supportive… she builds strong relationships across all levels of the business."
Kelsey Ingles, Talent Lead, Junior Talent at Xero
Ready to understand what’s really getting in the way?
You don’t need to know exactly what needs to change before we talk.
We’ll start with what’s been happening, what you’d like to be different, and whether working together feels like the right fit.
Booking for your child? Book a free parent chat. Enquiring for your organisation? Get in touch here.